Brussels, 12/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - With one eye on the United Nations Durban conference, global climate negotiations and EU environmental strategy were at the heart of discussions among environment ministers meeting in informal Council in Sopot, (near Gdansk, Poland) on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 July.
Ministers and European commissioners shared their positions on climate and the environment within the context of the EUROPE 2020 strategy. Climate change was seen by all as the most important issue of the two-day meeting. For the moment, however, no “European” position has been achieved. “It is still too soon to be able to speak with one voice. But we know we will have enough to take to Durban”, said European Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard.
Under the chairmanship of Polish Environment Minister Andrzej Kraszewski, the meeting discussed the global climate talks ahead of the UN conference in Durban (COP 17, December 2011). This is one of the priorities of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. The official guidelines will only be announced on 10 October, another Environment Council.
Nevertheless, progress was made on the EU position on the Kyoto Protocol. NGOs and developing countries had asked the EU to back an extension of the protocol. Environment ministers on Tuesday confirmed that this was a possibility, though several international players would like to see it suspended. Hedegaard made herself the spokeswoman for an idea shared by many European countries: that of a transitional period, with a precise timetable.
On Monday, ministers and European Environment Commissioner Janez Potoènik set the markers for the EU environmental strategy. Two issues in particular were discussed: preparation for the 7th action programme for the environment and use of natural resources, as provided for in the EUROPE 2020 strategy. (Cor./transl.rt)